WGA InsureBlog

As a society, Americans obsess about weight. The diet “industry” is a multi-billion enterprise. “The Biggest Loser” and its ilk are ratings hits. Many of us are aware that we need to lose some weight. Yet two recent studies — “F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future” and a poll conducted by Life Goes Strong – show we continue to put on weight, with the Baby Boomers being the worst offenders.

In my mind, our weight is issue number 1 in the battle to control health costs, and that issue is a simple equation: caloric intake + lack of physical activity = weight gain.

The statistics are voluminous, hard to dispute and alarming, all at the same time. Here are just a few:

• As much as 40% of health insurance and 52% of disability costs are linked to weight issues.
• Workers Compensation claims are 2.5 times more costly for the obese than for those who are at an appropriate weight.
• 34.4% of the adult population of Mississippi is obese (the worst in the country). In 1995 – just 16 years ago – Mississippi had the same obesity rate as Colorado, the healthiest state in the US, does today – just over 19%.
• Surveys started to show a leveling off in the mid-2000′s, but the numbers are going up again.
• The percentage of adults that get even moderate exercise on a weekly basis has been unchanged since the 1980′s when the first studies were done, with 61.3% of adults getting no exercise.

I could go on and on with surveys, studies and statistics. But instead, here is a favorite test of mine. We’re in Boston, and I’m a big Red Sox fan. Here is a picture from Fenway Park in 1951. How many overweight people do you see – not obese, just overweight?

Here is a picture today. How about now (even the player looks overweight)?

The long and the short of it is, Americans weigh too much, and it’s costing employers in higher health insurance costs, sick leave, disability expense and workers compensation losses. All of this adds up to reduced productivity – and don’t argue with me that some of your best employees work all of the time and have a weight issue. They are the exception to the rule.

I have been asked for years “How can we control our health insurance costs in the long run?” I’ve known brokers, consultants and clients who tweak plan designs or try simple wellness programs. That is just scratching the surface. In the long run, employers must use every weapon in their arsenal to change behaviors and get your people healthier: plan designs, contributions, incentives (and penalties), senior management directives, third-party programs, services and tools and persistent, constant efforts over many years. I have been talking about this with clients since the early-90′s, but only in recent years have I seen employers making the investment and taking the effort to change behaviors. It’s encouraging, but we have a lot of work to go.

By the way, I’ve known peers who can talk about these ideas, but don’t live it. I do believe in leading by example. I’m an avid cyclist (my wife says obsessed) that races road bikes, mountain bikes and cyclocross, and take part in other sports as well, like skiing. I hit the gym 2-3 times a week for weight training, mostly Russian kettle balls, and stretch and do core work every morning. Even with all of that, I’m very conscious of what I eat. I will be 49 years old in December, but have the biometric results of a 30-year-old, according to my doctor. I don’t expect others to be like me, but I do want to practice what I preach and be an example of what is possible with a demanding job and family obligations. This picture was taken in the early Spring season.

I love the work we can do to help employers create a strategy to address their people’s health issues, not just weight. I think it’s where we need to go as a nation. What do you think?

About the Author

Scott Kirschner is a Vice President in the Employee Benefits practice at WGA. Mr. Kirschner has an extensive and diverse background that benefits clients in numerous ways. He has been a national leader on prescription drugs, health data management and stop-loss reinsurance, and has worked on broad Human Resource projects with large multi-national companies and understands the full range of challenges facing HR departments. Mr. Kirschner is a member of WGA’s Health Reform Advisory Team, is our internal “thought leader” on population health improvement/wellness and is a long-standing member of the New England Employee Benefits Council Best Practices Committee.

617.646.0377  SKirschner@wgains.com   Connect with Scott on LinkedIn

MORE POSTS BY SCOTT >